Folding crate



Nrrnn STATES 'PATENT risica.

GEORGE Hides, or oi-iADwIoKs, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CRAIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,060, dated January29,1895f Application ned May 9,. 1894.. seria No. 510,555. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may conaerm. c

Beit known that I, GEORGE HIGGS, of Chadwicks, in the county of Oneidaand State 'of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Crates; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains tomake and, use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in folding crates.

In the drawings Which accompany and form a part of this specificationand in which similar letters and figures of reference refer tocorresponding parts in the several views, Figure l shows a top or planview of my crate, the cover, however, being open and only a smallsection of the coverbeing shown. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of thecrate. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section taken on a line with A-B of Fig.l; both the cover and bottom being partially turned on its hinge tobetter exhibit the construction. Fig. 4 shows a slightly modified formof construction. Fig. 5 shows the crate folded. Fig. 6 shows details ofone form of hinge used in the construction. Fig. 7 shows details ofanother form of hinge used in the construction. Fig. 8 is an enlargedperspective View of the hinge shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail viewof a bottom support.

The crate consists of four vertical sides A, B, C and D, with bottom Eand cover F. Each of the sides, bottom and cover are preferably made ofa series of slats asasecured on transverse strips as b, although it isquite evident that each of the parts could be made of asolid piece ofwood. The bottom E is hinged by two or more hinges 1,*to the bottom orfoot of the side C, and is adapted to fold into a position parallel withand lying on the inner side of the side C. The cover F is hinged byhinges 2 to the upper edge of the side Gand isadapted to swing outwardlyinto a position parallel with and lying on the outer side of the side C.The adjacent edges of the sides A and B and of the sides C and D areconnected by a pair of plain strap hinges 3; one hinge preferably beingprovided at the upper edge of the crate and one at the lower edge. Theedges of the sides connected by the plain hinges 3 are beveled, as shownat 4, to engage each other when the crate is set up and to assist inmaintaining the crate in form. The pivot of the hinges 3 issubstantially on a line with the outside of the crate. The adjacent endsof the walls or sides B and C, and, A and D are connected by the benthinges 5, which are secured on the outside of the crate and are so bentas to bring the pivotal point 5a thereof substantially on a line withthe inner face of the sides of the crate or within this line. Two ofthese hinges are preferably provided for each corner, as shown; one atthe upper edge of the side and one at the lower edge. The hinges 5 mayalso be provided with an upwardly extending ear 5b on each of the partsof the hinge; which ears, when the crate is set up, will project abovethe upper face of the crate and are adapted to engage the bottom of asimilar crate placed on top of it, so as to retain it in place, and thusfacilitate placing the crates in tiers. To accomplish this same end, Ialso provide the construction shown in Fig. 4., in which the verticalslats a,

Vas shown in Fig.- 4., terminate short of the bottom of the lowerretaining strip b and project above the strip c on the upper edge of thecrate,pthereby affording a recess at the bottom for the reception of theprojecting upper ends of another crate, so that they may be tiered upand retain their places on one another `in the same manner. Forsupporting the swinging edge of the bottom E, when in extended positionfor use, I provide one or more right-angled or L-shaped irons 6, securedin suitable position on the lower edge 'of the side A to engage andsupport the edge of the bottom.

To extend the crate, it is 'simply necessary to open the sides in theform of a rectangle and'turn down the bottom until it rests on theL-shaped hanger 6, when the crate is ready tov be filled; and it is heldin form largely by the bottom E. After the crate is filled, the cover Fmay be turned into position to close the top of the crate and secure it.

I do not propose to use the cover F, however, with all my crates, asmany users of crates use no cover whatever, and the cover may beentirely omitted, together with the IOO hinges by means of which it issecured to the crate. s

It is evident that the construction could be modified in several otherparticulars than those noted withoutdeparting from the equivalents of myconstruction.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination in a folding crate, of the four sides, A, B, C and D,hinged together on opposite corners of the crate by hinges 3 havingtheir pivots substantially in line with the outer faces of the adjacentsides to which they are attached and hinged together on the other twoopposite corners by bent hinges 5 having their bent portions projectinginside of the plane of the inner faces of the respective sides,

GEORGE IIIGGS.

Witnessesz GEO. M. l-IECOX, E. C. PORTER.

